Our Goals

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Pastoral Leadership

If you want to serve God and your community, pastoral leadership is an excellent choice for your bachelor's degree studies.

Earning a B.A. in pastoral leadership will enable you to meet local, national, and global needs in ministry. You will be prepared to serve the People of God at the crossroads between culture and faith and church and society.

Why choose pastoral leadership at Marian?

Pastoral leadership prepares both women and men to serve in various roles and positions in the Christian community.

Marian's curriculum will prepare you collaborate with both ordained and lay people working in ministry, education, and secular non-profit organizations.

What are your career paths?

There are numerous opportunities for graduates who have a B.A. in pastoral leadership. Based on your interests and gifts, some career paths you might choose include:

Coordinator of religious education

Parish youth minister

Campus minister

Theology teacher

Parish young adult minister

Parish pastoral associate

Adolescent pastoral care manager

Diocesan minister

Not-for-profit manager

Marian's bachelor's degree curriculum will also prepare you for continued study in a graduate program focused on theology, ministry, or seminary formation leading to ordination. You might also choose to pursue a master's or doctoral degree in fields like social work, mental health counseling, education, or law.

Arthur "Art" Canales, Ph.D. is associate professor of theology. He is a leading expert in the field of Catholic youth ministry and serves as a contributing editor to the document titled the Joy of Adolescent Catechesis: A Letter to Those who Minister with Catholic Teenagers in the United States, which is a joint document for The National Initiative on Adolescent Catechesis, the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2015-16).